Relay



Julyl24, 1951 l H. c; HARRISON 2,562,091

RELAY Filed Aug. 2e, 194e l 2 sheets-sheet 1 /a [/5 [55 f/6 Uf f20 f2 ii /4 1 ,a I ,u u u /NVE/vroR By HCHRR/SON ATTORNEY July 24, 195] H QHARRlSQN 2,562,091

RELAY Filed Aug. 28, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 44 ijf/7,:

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A T TORNEV Patented July 24, 1951 2,562,091 RELAY Henry C; Harrison,Port Washing-ton, N. Y., assignor to Bell Telephone Laboratories,Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York ApplicationAugust 28, 1946, Serial No.l 693,595 6 Claims.l (Cl. 200m-.104)

This invention relates to contact making devices and particularly toimprovements in relay structures for use in telephone systems.

An object of the invention is to simplify the construction of relaydevices and to decrease the cost thereof and another object is toincreasel the facility of such relays to establish diiierentcombinations of electrical make and break connections. Still anotherobject is to increase the efficiency of operation and self-adjustment ofthe parts andV to decrease maintenance costs.

Heretofore relay structures have been usedfor special purposes inestablishing or breaking connections in electrical circuits through theutiliza tion of an armature operating through cards or studs on springsto make and break such connections. In such structures the armatureusually is pivoted on a knife edge or on a pin and is provided withextensions to control through such cards or studs the contact springoperations.l

In multicontact relays of this character the arrangement of the varioussprings, cards and studs and the arrangement of the return polepiece forthe core does not always lend itself to as compact construction andeconomical spacing of the parts as could be desired, nor is itr usuallypossible to rearrange the parts for changing the spring combinations formaking .or breaking electrical circuits without increasing the over-allsize of the relay.

The applicants invention relates to a multicontact relay device that maybe adjusted to various purposes in the telephone art for theestablishing or breaking of connections in various groups withoutextensive changes and without increasing its size. To attain the objectsof the invention above set forth the applicant has des.

signed a relay employing a laminated core hav-V ing three parallel iiatpole-piece members, although it is not necessary that the core belaminated. An energizing coil is wound around the central member, theouter members serving as return pole-pieces of the magnetic circuit.Across the free ends of these members is located an armature to which issecured a member of insulating material. Contact springs are arranged ina top and a bottom layer with an equal number of corresponding springsor spring sets in each layer. Each top spring consists of ,a single.

round wire with a light flat contacting strip secured thereto while eachbottom spring consists of a pair of round wires. These latter wires maybe of slightly different diameters to cause the periodicity of vibrationof the two wires to be slightly diierent to thereby obviate contactchatter when the wires are engaged or disen gaged, The insulating memberis provided with slots through which said contact springs project withsome of the top springs firmly secured to the member and with others ofthese top springs loosely guided in their respective slots. The memberand armature are therefore suspended on such top springs as are attachedto the member so that no other suspension means are required for thearmature. A crossbar of insulating material is provided between said twolayers of springs and said cross bar and the slots' in the insulatingmember are so positioned as to guide the contact springs during thetravel of said springs. In the case of the top springs secured to themember, when the armature is attracted by the core, said springs makecontact with the corresponding bottom springs, while in the case of thetop springs not secured to the member but guided in slots therein, whenthe armature is attracted by the core, said springs are disengaged fromthe corresponding bottom springs that are secured to and moved by themember. The springs of the top Ylayer are molded in a single insulationblock and the springs in the bottom layer are also molded in anothersingle corresponding block, these two blocks being secured one on top ofthe other and to another insulation block in which the rear end of thecore is secured. A top cover member and a bottom cover member aresecuredl around these blocks and extend approximately halfway over thecore, coil and springs and a front cover is also provided which istelescoped' over said top and bottom covers to completely enclose therelay structure. The front cover is provided at its front end with awindow for the ready observance of the operation of the relay.

f y: The upper and lower blocks in which the springs are embedded areserrated at their rear edges, and a contact spring protrudes from eachprojection and from each recess in each layer so as to provide a greaterseparation distance ben, tween the terminal ends of springs in thelayers and thereby decrease the danger of short-circuiting between theterminals.

The invention has been illustrated in the accompanying drawings inwhich:

Fig. l shows a top view of a relay embodying the' applicants inventionwith part of the top and front cover broken away;

Fig. l2 is a cross-section taken on line 2-2 'of Fig. 1;

Fig@ 3 -is a side view` of the relay shown iny Figs.-

1 and 2 with certain interior parts dotted in;

Fig 4 is a front view of the relay with the front cover partly cut away;

Fig. 5 is a rear View of the relay;

Fig. 6 is a top view of the relay with the covers in place;

Fig. 7 is a cross-section taken on the line 1 1 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 8 is a front view of the relay showing the window;

Fig. 9 showsv a set of normally made contact springs and the armatureand operating member; and

Fig. l shows a set of normally open contact springs and the armature andoperating member.

Referring now to these drawings, the core structure I consists of a rearportion 2 and three forwardly extending prongs or pole-piece members,the central one designated 3 serving as a core and the side membersdesignated 4 and 5 serving as return pole-pieces. This core is laminatedto reduce hysteresis losses, but a solid core could be used. Around thecentral member 3 is Wound a coil 6 with the usual spoolheads at oppositeends. The rear end 2 of the core is mounted in an insulation block 1which block, in turn holds a nut 8 in which a screw 9 is threaded and bymeans of which the relay may be mounted on a support not shown. The coilterminals III and I I are embedded in this blocky 1 and extend forwardlyas shown at I2. On top of this block 1 is mounted another insulationblock I3 in which a bottom layer of springs I4 is molded and on the topofblock I3 is another insulation block I in which a top layer `ofsprings I6 is molded. The rearward ends of these blocks are so serratedthat alternate springs have their terminals extending from projectionsor extensions in the blocks I3 and I5 as shown at I8 while the otherterminals extend from depressions in the ends of the blocks as shown atI9. This is for the purpose of providing a maximum distance betweenadjacent springs to reduce the danger of short circuits.

Each of the top springs consists of a single wire with a nat pieceWelded thereto while each of the bottom springs consists of a pair ofwires as shown for example at in Fig. 1 or at 26 in Fig. 4. The twowires in each pair are of a slightly different diameter so as to reducethe probability of simultaneous 'reopening due to vibration whenactuated. Across the front or pole-piece ends 3, 4 and 5 of the core islocated an armature 21. To this armature is secured an operating memberof insulating material. This member 30 is provided with various slots oropenings through which all of the springs project. Certain of the topsprings are actually connected to the block as shown, for example, forthose top springs I6 associated with contact strips 35 (Fig. 4). Themethod of securing one of these springs is shown in Fig. 10. For thosecontact strips 35, the forward at piece 20 is provided with a loop 36and is welded to the corresponding spring I6 after having been loopedover a cross-portion 31 of the member 30 while the spring I6 itselfextends through a slot 38 so that the member 30 is held rmly between thepiece 2|] and spring I6. By this means the armature 21 is suspended bythose top springs IE associated with contact strip and by any other topsprings which are normally in an open position as shown in Figs. 4 and10. On the other hand, as shown in Fig. 9, the other top springs I6associated with contact strips such as 3,4, also provided with forwardflat pieces 20, and

loops 3B, are free to move in guide slots in member 30 and are normallytensioned to rest on the top of the cross-rod or bar 42 formed ofinsulating material and mounted transversely in the relay top cover 55.In Fig. 9 the lower spring I4, companion to spring I6, is guided in theslot 43 in member 30 and is caused to be lowered by the cross portion 44of the member 3U when actuated, while in Fig. 10 the lower spring I4companion to spring I6 in this figure is guided in the slot 38 andnormally tensioned to rest against the under surface of the cross bar42. The springs shown in Fig. 9 are normally in contact with each otherand the springs shown in Fig. 10 are normally separated. This cross-bar42 is so located in relation to these springs, and to the slots andopenings in member 30 that, as in the case of Fig. 9 where the matingsprings are normally in contact, when the armature is attracted by thecore the lower spring I4 will be moved by the member 3D to separate fromthe upper spring while the upper spring rests against the upper surfaceof the bar 42. On the other hand when the armature is operated and thesprings are attached to the member 3D as shown in Fig. 10, a connectionis made between springs I4 and I6 as the upper spring I6 is moveddownwardly by the member 30 and makes contact with the lower spring I4.

While applicant has shown only two sets of springs in which the contactsare normally closed and the other ten sets of springs wherebyconnections are normally open, this arrangement of the springs may bevaried for different requirements so that in some instances perhaps asmaller number of the connections are to be normally open with acorresponding increase in the number of connections normally closed. Theessential thng of course is that some of the springs are actuallyconnected to the armature as shown in Fig. l0 through the member 30 forthe suspension of the armature. Therefore if all the spring connectionsare to be broken, additional springs may be provided for the solepurpose of suspending the armature and block in the manner shown in Fig.10. It is therefore readily seen that with this construction theapplicants structure may be readily changed to provide springcombinations for making and breaking connections without materiallychanging the construction of the relay or increasing its size or inother ways changing the general arrangement of the parts.

Referring now to the relay cover the upper cover 55 covers the uppersurface of the relay and extends down over the sides as shown at 56 and51 in Fig. '7 to the bottom of the relay and the corresponding bottomcover 58, covers the undersurface of the relay and has side projectionsor members 59 and 60 on the inside of the corresponding side members 56and 51 of the upper cover. blocks 1, I3 and I5 completely and also partof the relay up to approximately half the distance towards the front ofthe relay structure. Over these two covers is telescoped thefront cover62 bearing side members 53 and 54 and provided at its front end with awindow 63 to enable the observation of the operation of the relay. Inthis manner the complete relay is entirely enclosed by a dustproofcovering.

What is claimed is:

1. In a relay, a core, a coil associated with said core, a rst pluralityof contact carrying springs arranged in a row, a second plurality'vThese two covers enclose the insulationv of n fruitingl contact carryingsprings arra'rigedili; arow adjacent'said frst'sprngs, an operatingmember of insulatingY material having slots therein throughwhichsaidsprings extend with some of said rst springs secured to saidmember while others are loosely guided in slots thereof, an armaturezsecuredto said member, anda' crossbar located between said rows ofsprings, said slots in saidmemberl and the bar being so arranged inrelation to saidsprings that such rst springs' as are secured to saidmember makecontact with mating second springs when said armature isattracted to said core whereas the-other flrst'springs which are notsecured to said member `are' separated from mating second contacts whensaid'armature is attracted to said core, all of said springs beingeither guided by the slots of said member in their travel or movablethereby.

2. In a relay, a hat laminated core structure having a base portion anda central core member and two return pole-piece members extendging fromsaid base portion, a coil surrounding the central core member, twoterminal rods for said coil, an insulation block secured to theunderside of the base of said core in which said rods are molded, aplurality of twin sets of bottom wire contact springs arranged in a row,an insulation block secured to the upper side of the base and in whichsaid sets of bottom contact springs are molded, a row of top wirecontact springs one wire spring for each twin set of bottom wire contactsprings, an insulation block secured on the top of said upper insulationblock and in which said top wire springs are molded, an operating memberof insulating material having slots therein through which said bottomand top contact springs project toward the front of the relay with someof said top springs secured to said operating member while of theremaining top and bottom springs some are sldably guided incorresponding slots and others are xedly controlled for movement byslots in said member, an armature secured to said operating member andextending across the front ends of said three members of the corestructure, a top cover member and a bottom cover member for said relaysecured to the polepiece members and enclosing said three insulationblocks except in the rear and enclosing a major portion of the core,coil and springs, a stop bar having an insulation covering secured tothe top cover and extending across and between said two rows of top andbottom springs, said slots in the operating block and the stop bar beingso arranged in relation to the top and bottom spring sets that such ofthe top springs as are secured to the operating member make contact withcorresponding bottom springs which are slidable in slots of said memberand are normally tensioned against the undersurface of said bar whensaid armature is attracted toward said core, while such of the topsprings as are not secured to the operating member are slidable inguiding slots in the operating member and are tensioned against theupper surface of said bar and disengaged from the mating springs whichare movable by the member when the armature is attracted by the corestructure to separate them from said corresponding top springs, a frontcover for said relay telescoped over said top and bottom cover membersin front of the relay to enclose entirely the front of said relaystructure and a transparent window inserted in said theoperationsr sai-dtive by said'operating member and some guidable in slotsinv saidoperating member, a iixed'stopl member for said springs; said operatingmember and'xedstop member being so arranged, as .to cooperate withsaid-- springs sol that when the l; armature is attractedv byrvsaid coreon the energization' of *saidv coil, the springsservingassuspension'springs'establish connections with corresponding' companionsprings of a group of other springs guided in slots in said operatingmember 'and' the' group of springs operable by said, operating member*`break connection with correspondingcompanion springs of the group ofsprings guided in Islots in said operating member.

' I4. -A-.relay comprising a core, a coil, an armature, an operatingmember of insulating material attached to said armature, a set of singlecontact-carrying springs each comprising a single round wire, a set ofpairs of mating contact carrying springs each pair comprising two roundwires of unequal diameters, some of both of said sets of springs beingattached to and operable by said operating member and some beingguidable in slots in said operating member, a fixed stop member for saidsprings, said operating member and said fixed stop member being soarranged as to cooperate with said springs so that when the armature isattracted by said core on the energization of said coil, the ones ofsaid single contact-carrying springs attached to the operating memberestablish connections with companion ones of said pairs of springsguided in slots in said operating member and the ones of said pairs ofsprings attached to said operating member break connections withcompanion ones of said single springs guided in slots in said operatingmember.

5. In a relay, a core, a coil, an armature, an operating member ofinsulating material attached to said armature, a iixed stop member andcontact carrying springs some serving also as suspension springs forsaid operating member and armature by being attached to the operatingmember, while others are guided in slots in said operating member andstill others are movable by said operating member by passing throughslots in said operating member, said contact carrying springs being soarranged in relation to the operating member and to the xed stop memberthat when the armature is attracted on the energization of said coil,the springs serving as suspension springs make contact with some springsguided in the slots and the springs movable by said operating memberbreak contact with other of said springs guided in the slots.

6. In a relay, a core, a coil, an armature, an operating member attachedto said armature, molded blocks of insulation material secured to saidcore, contact springs consisting of twin wires molded in one of saidblocks and arranged in a straight row in a lower layer, contact springsconsisting of single wires molded in another of said molded blocks andwith a ilat metal strip attached to each wire serving as a contactmember and arranged in a straight row in an upper layer with eachcontact spring pair in said lower layer being located'opposite the metalstrip of a corresponding spring `wire in the upper layer, certaincontact springs in the upper layer being attached to said operatingmember to serve also as suspension means for said operating member andarmature, While thev other of said springs in the upper layer arearranged tofbe guided in slots in said operating member and with thecompanion spring pairs in the lower layer of the first mentioned springsin .the upper layer arranged in openings in the operating member to beguided thereby and with the Acompanion spring pairs in the lower layeerof the second mentioned springs in the upper layer arranged in openingsin the operating member to be moved therewith, a stationary memberlocated between said two rows of springs so that the springs in theupper layer in the guide opening are tensioned against the upper surfaceof said stationary member and the springs in thelower layer in guideopenings are tensioned against the lower surface of said stationarymember and with the springs so formed that when the armature isattracted by the coil by the energization thereof, connections areestablished between the corresponding springs of the groups in which theupper springs are connected to the upper member and connections arebroken between the remaining corresponding springs.

HENRY C. HARRISON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ille ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 991,829 Clement May 9, 19111,521,591 Beck Jan. 6, 1925 1,647,792 Gent Nov. 1, 1927 1,812,545 NilsonJune 30, 1931 2,076,115 Benit Apr. 6, 1937 2,077,622 Field Apr. 20, 19372,377,137 Eaton May 29, 1945 2,427,483 Weiner Sept. 16, 1947 2,442,500Lamb June 1, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 116,680 AustraliaMar. 18, 1943

